Give Me Your Draft Strategy

April’s draft will be huge for the Bengals. Another solid draft by the coaches should solidify the cracks in last year’s team, and it could very possibly put the Bengals in position to finally end the drought of playoff wins.

Mock drafts are popping up like dandelions on my lawn in April, and many are not as smart as they pretend to be (at least where the Bengals are concerned). I am much more interested in what you, the WhoDeyFans, have to say about the draft.

I see different strategies proposed on which positions to pick first, so let’s have a study group and compare notes. I am mainly interested in position, but comments on players are encouraged. I want to learn your strategy for the draft.

I think most of us would agree that the biggest needs are running back, guard, corner and safety. Some of you might put a receiver or a D-lineman in the group. Where would you target each position to maximize the Bengals draft? Please go at least 3 rounds deep, further if you want.

Personally, I am all about the offensive and defensive lines, so I would go like this:

Rd 1A: SS (Mark Barron)

Rd 1B: OG (Cordy Glenn)

Rd 2: CB (Chase Minnifield)

Rd 3: RB (Isaiah Pead)

Rd 4: WR (Tommy Streeter?)

I consider CB a bigger need than S, but after Barron the field is thin and the drop-off is steep. I know that some of you will prefer to take a RB in round 1, but I follow the theory that a good back behind a good line is better than a great back behind a mediocre line.

What about obvious, glaring needs such ad safety and guard? I get it, best available player/best athlete, the Bengals don’t need much. But what they DO need is safety and guard help. It’s just like a budget, wants vs needs. We may want this, but we NEED that…

“Best Available Player” is an important principle, but it always gets blended with need. Nate himself made the case that Trent Richardson (#3 on Mel Kiper’s big board) could still be available when the Bengals pick at #17 because the 16 teams picking before them have other, more pressing needs. And if the best player available at #17 is a QB, the fans would be in an uproar if the Bengals took him (which we know they won’t).

But to be fair to Nate, I know that is not quite what he is saying. He is saying that if Barron is already gone at #17, don’t just go to the next best safety because the drop-off is huge, resulting in a serious reach that none of us want.

That’s why I took the order I did. I think a CB is a bigger need than a safety, but based on players that are expected to be available on many of the mock drafts I’ve seen, the Bengals get better value taking Barron in the first and a CB in the second.

I’m not saying that the Bengals need to draft in my order for me to consider the draft a success. Maybe they take a RB at #17. Depending on how the first 16 picks go, it could be a fantastic pick even though it goes nothing like how I would do it. But based on what we know right now, I would consider my list the maximum value. IMO.

Not focusing on specific players, I just hope they address secondary and guard in the first round. Those are two of the most important spots to strengthen and the draft class at that point will be pretty strong.

There’s also free agency to consider. The Bengals could add a guard or safety before the draft and fill their holes ahead of time. I think they have to get certain positions filled, but it’s a combination of free agency and the draft and I don’t want to see them reaching for players in the draft to do it.

This site is strictly for informational and entertainment purposes, and is in no way affiliated with the Cincinnati Bengals or the National Football League. It also claims no rights to the trademarks of either the Bengals or the NFL.